Stand By Him: Brian Dawkins' Legacy Is Intact As He Leaves Philly For Denver

No matter what you think or say Eagles fans, Brian Dawkins has and always will love you.

I happened to tune into an interview that he conducted with Comcast Sportsnet in Philadelphia a little while ago after signing a five-year deal with the Denver Broncos.

He had to end the interview at just under two minutes because he was overcome with emotion and could not bear to talk anymore about how much he appreciated the passion that the fans in Philly gave to him over the last 13 seasons.

I understand that many are calling Jeffrey Lurie an idiot, a moron, or a traitor but you need to know that this was a business decision—plain and simple.

Joe Montana, Brett Favre, Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith, and Johnny Unitas all made the same decision.

All Hall of Fame players and all gave their careers to one franchise yet decided to go for one last run with a different organization.

None really panned out well and only Rice made a final return to the Super Bowl with Oakland in 2002.

This is a very sad day to see a fixture of one of the most ferocious defenses in NFL history sign with another team but the good news (if there is any) is that he will play against the Eagles during the 2009 season so expect Weapon X to get a huge, loud ovation when he comes back.

Though Dawkins is 35 and his skills are not what they used to be, he brought an unmatched fury and animalistic passion to the game that very few possess.

He will bring leadership and intelligence to a struggling secondary up in Denver.

You need to move on, Eagles fans.

All the anger, fury, and hatred you feel for the front office will not bring him back.

Seeing him in a different uniform will be strange but all fans of all teams go through this process, including yourselves.

Though he will not retire as an Eagle, Dawkins' legacy in Philadelphia is most definitely intact.

We all know that loyalty in sports does not last long if at all and free agency makes it nearly impossible to keep the same team for long periods of time.

Don't go throwing away those green and white number 20 jerseys, Eagles fans; they could be worth something one day.

He gave his blood, sweat, and tears to the most passionate fanbase in the NFL and he must now be allowed to move on and make decisions that he deems appropriate for his on and off-the-field career